Rika Usami
| Rika Usami | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 20, 1986 Tokyo, Japan |
| Native name | 宇佐美里香 |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Style | Karate |
| Trainer | Yoshimi Inoue |
| University | Kokushikan University |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women's karate | ||
Representing  Japan
| ||
| World Karate Championships | ||
 |
Paris 2012 | |
 |
Belgrade 2010 | |
|
Ghangzhou 2010 | |
Rika Usami (宇佐美 里香, Usami Rika, born February 20, 1986) is a Japanese practitioner in Shito-ryu Karate who is best known for her victory at the 2012 World Karate Championships.[1]
Early life
Usami was born on February 20, 1986 in Tokyo, Japan. She had said in an interview that she started karate when she was 10 years old by joining a Goju-ryu-style dojo located near her family’s house in Tokyo, after seeing a female fighter on television. Her older brother has been practicing karate to which he even let Usami wear his karate gi on occasions, so that helped her a lot when she decided to eventually start practicing Karate herself.
Her first karate tournament was when she was a green belt at 12 years old in elementary school. She didn't participate in big tournaments until at age 15. She first won a big tournament at 17 years old at the national high school championship.[2]
References
- ^ "Karate records World Championship 2012". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- ^ "Exclusive Interview: Rika Usami - The Undisputed Queen of Karate Kata". Retrieved 3 April 2019.
External links
- Interview with Rika Usami
- 2012 final championships video
- (in Japanese) Rika Usami
- In the spotlight: Rika Usami - The Queen of Kata
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
